System of closet sanitation.



UNITED sTATEs PATENT' OFFICE.

EUGENE L. MILLER, OF PQRTLAND, OREGON.

evenaar orcnosn'r Seminaren.'

To all whom it may cof/wem:

Be it known that-I, EUGENE L. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Systemsof Closet.A

Sanitation, of which .the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a closet, and has particular reference to improved means for making such closet sanitary, odorless, and

-convenient of operation.

to the following description and tothe accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in 'sec-A tion, of a structure embodying the invention, Fig. 2 is a view on a larger scale of the main portions of the structure and modified operating means for the shutter, and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate details of construction, the functions of which are hereinafter full explained.

The re erence numeral 1 denotes a closet, and said closet is at the top fitted with a seat and cover mechanism 2, and with a vent pipe 3. The bottom of said closet is made with a flange 4, which projects through the ooring 5. Below said tioorin is a tank 6 for holding the fluid chemica s'employed for decomposing and deodorizing purposes. Said tank has' an overflow pipe 7, the entrance to which'is conveniently covered by a suitable screen 8, said screen provided for 'the purpose of preventing solids leaving the tank. The-tank is near the bottom made with a suitable drain 9 through which the contents of the tankmay be emptied when required. In Fig'.V 2 is shown a common pluv for closing said drain, but I wish it un erstood that a stop cock or similar device, havin the same function, may be-substituted. hus by referring to Fig. -1 it is noticed that the overflow pipe and the drain spedaeation t :Letten regent. application mea may 2s, 191s. vserial no, 770,291.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

pipe extend to an overflow vault, and that said drain pipe is provided with 'a suitable stopcock.

ing.5 is interposed a flanged rim 10, which forms the top portion of the sediment receivin means above mentioned. The bottom o said means takes the shape of a low vessel 1 1, and said top and bottom portions are combined by a screen 12 to form a. screened basket or receptacle in which the sediments are free to settle. Said screen is fixed on the bottom in any suitable manner, as -by providing a series of perforations 13 in the bottom 11, and by' Arunning a. wire through said perforations and the meshes of the screen, as well known Ato the art.

i As the receptacle should rest on the bottom of the tank 6 in order to avoid unnecessary strain'bn the former, and' as the height of the tank is apt to vary, it is necessary to provide adjustment in fitting the screen on the rim 10. This may be accomplished by perforatin said rim in the manner the bottom 11 1s perforated, and by threading a wire through the perforations in the same fashion, or aseries of projections or buttons 14 may be fixed in said erforations, which buttons are then readi y caused to seat in the .meshes of the screen after the receptacle is laced. It is obvious that such buttons can a so be fixed in the perforations 13 of the bott-om 11, so as to facilitate the connection and disconnection ofthe parts.

The deposits in the liquid within the receptacle stay there unt-i1 dissolvedA or def composed, whereupon they pass through the overflow pipe 7 and out of the building to the overflow vault shown in Fig. 1. -In the course of time, no matter how-well the decomposing liquid performs Aits function, sediments will settle in the bottom of the receptacle. In a long space of time a quantity of such sediments will have gathered, and the receptacle should be cleaned out. This operation is readily performed by removing the closet and by lifting the receptacle out of the tank, by placing said receptacle in a tub, and by carryin it out of t e house` whereupon it ca nreadi y be cleaned, and the parts are easily separated in order to facilitate such cleaning. Theobjecton to a structure of this kind 'is the unsightly.

ness of the surface of the Aliquids and solids 11o in the tank, as disclosed through the closet, the splashing. caused by matters dropping Y and become f when closed, takes a position directly'ab'ove the surface of the 4liquids inthe-tank, Vsubstantially as indicated in the drawings, and as it is tted within the rim 10, .it forms an air tight' bottom for the closet. This shutp ter ,comprises two halves 15, 151?, pivotally fixed on the rim'lO'ofthe receptacle.I After using, this shut-ter isopened vby depressing the shutter leaves, as illustrated, wherebyA said leaves dip into the decomposingliquid thoroughly cleaned'. The

mechanism for ,operating- -said shut-ter should extend above' the tank to a point ,l within easy reach of the personnsing the closet, and such 'mechanism Ama);7 co'nvenlA At one side of the closet, and on the iange of therim 10,'is mounted a standard 16,

in which is pivotally hung an operating lever 17, said lever having an integralarm is placedv between said arm 17a and thevfoot of the standard 16 v'or'the purpose of yield- 'ingly retaining the shutter in'A closed position.-

operating handle. In this case the -link19fis pivoted on thelink 18a, and the latter is extendedjupwardly and. titted at-,the top with a handle or grip .18". A' coil spring' 20a encompasses said links, and the link 18l is provided with. suitable projections 18%' against which said spring exerts its pressure. In this view the operating mechanism is'shown depressed in order to illustrate theeffect ofv such depression on the various parts. The said shutter mechanism may also be constructed as shownin Fig.

4. In this-case a one-leaf shutter 21 is pre-- sented, and said shutter leaf has a center p1vot`22, mounted to rotate in the rim 10a. On one end ofthe pivot is fixed, a pinion 23, which engages the. internalteeth of av rack-frame 24. Said frame extends above the' fiooringand is at the top Vmade with a handle 25'. By moving said rack' frame up or down the shutter leaf .is caused vto rotate,

thereby movingr it quickly through the liquids in 'the tank.l and'clean'ing it thoroughly.

Experience may suggest other'` and better shutter movements. and the above arepresented m order to demonstrate that .the shutter must form an air-tight joint and 1': must pass through the liquid below, in open- 17a,.rom which exferld connecting links 185' '-19 'toithe shuttr'leaVeS- A1Coil-spring-20 In Fig. '3 is 'shown a modification of the' ing and closing, inorder to beA thoroughly cleaned The advantages of my invention are now readily'understood. The basket receptacle vis easily. removed and reinserted The shutter is mounted in the rim 10,it shuts out all odors, it prevents splashing, and itl d case of repairs, it can quickly 'be disconnected from the rim, and thexlatter reinsert-v ed, whereby 'the structure is 'stillat serv1ce,

and the screen'SAof the overiow pipe comes into use, by preventing matters -not decom- -posed 4i'fromleaving the tank. -:The tank 6 itself isiso readily removed for repalrs, as'it'is only necessary to disconnect the over! iow and. vdrain pipes, which operation, at

the 'present Astate vof the'l art, -is quickly eiectedl I claim: f 1. Inma device ot the class'described, a

Stank arranged toreceive vexcrement from af closet and adapted t'ocontai'n a liquid chem 'ical for decomposing purposes, an overiiow duct for said tank, a' receptacle disposed in sediment receptacle must be cleaned, or in Y the tank t o contain-deposits in the..latter and'comprising foraminous walls, a shutter normally closing the receivingportion ofv said 'receptacleand tank and 'movableinto the liquid in the latter for'the purpose described, and means for actuating saidshutter accessible from a point exterior to the-l tank. p p 2. A. decomposing tank open at the top',

said tank' having an overflowing duct and drain at tThe bottom, and an opening' to communicate with Va closet, a shutter mechanisml for Saidpppening, and a springheldhandlever risi'ngatthe side'of the closet for operating said tlshuttermechanism.

3. A decomposing tank open atthe torna` receptacle fixed in said opening, said receptacle having screened sides and a' 'cupshaped bottom, a' shutter mechanism mounted said receptacle for the purpose of normally retaining said tank opening closed,'and lever opertina'said'shutter. 4. Ai device of the character described,

composing id, tank having an overow duct an" adrain near the bottom and being adapted forconne'ction with a closet,

i a screenedreceptacle'in the tank, a shutter mechanism4 pivotally 'xed in said receptacle, a spring held hand lever above saidv tank, and connect-ions intermediate the lever and said shutter mechanism.

devices extending above said openi1'1g-for .'1'15 coprising a tank adapted 'to contain a"de,

5. In a device of the character described,

a tank containing decomposing` liquids, said tank open at the top,- a receptacle placed 1n said opening andreachm;r to the bottom of the tank, vsaid receptacle lhaving screens' adjustably fixed so as to vary the height .13

oi the receptacle to suit the height of the tank, a shutter mechanism pivotally fixed in said receptacle, manually operated means for opening and closing said shut-ter, said means extending above the tank and having a resilient member for normally retaining said shutter in closed position.

6. In combination, an open top tank, a

receptacle placed in said tank and having aflange extending over the top of the tank, said receptacle made with open Work sides,

an over ow duct in said tank, a spring halves, and a spring held lever connected tol depress said shutter halves into the liquid Within the tank, said lever extending above said tank so as to be conveniently operated.

8. In a device of the character described, a v'decomposing tank open at the top, a flanged run in the tank opening, a shutter ixedto operate in said rim and normally` forming an air-tight partition in the passage through the rim, and manual means, operable from above the tank, for opening said s'hutter,vsaid opening operation causing the shuttei` to "pass through the .liquid in the tank so as to thoroughly clean said shutter.

e tank so-a's to be conveniently operi 9. Improved means of the class described comprising in combination, a decomposing tank adapted to contain a liquid chemical and having an overliow outlet, an overllow vault connected with said outlet, a receptacle adapted to be connected with a closet and arranged in said tank and having Walls so formed as to establish ,communication between the receptacle and tank so that the decomposed depositsin the receptacle may pass fromthe same into the tank, a closure for said receptacle and. comprising movable shutter members, and means for moving said shutterV members to open the saine and simultaneously immerse themY in the liquid in the tank and comprising a handle operable from a point exterior to the tank, links having connection with said handle and with the shutter members, and spring means coperating with the handle to normally hold the same in a position wherein the s'aid shutter members are closed.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with a decomposing tank.; of a screened receptacle for sediments placed in said tank; and means for tightly closing said tank, said closing means fixed 'to operate Within said receptacle and removable with the receptacle, said closing means operable from above the tank and so related as to pass through the -liquids in the tank in opening and closing., I

In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto afmy signature.

i f EUGENE L. MILLER.

Witnesses: i

. DAVID E. LoreREN,

OLO. MARTIN.

Copies otthil patent may be obtained for ve cents e'aoh,`by ,addressing the Commissioner of Patents,v

- washington. n. o." 

